The Lion, the Princess, and the Knight
by jadetarsier
Summary: AU: Ellone was never kidnapped; Raine survives. Raine, Laguna, Ellone, and Squall live a happy, quiet existence in Winhill. Sorceress Ultimecia is defeated when her Knight, Seifer, turns against her out of love for popstar-turned-SeeD Rinoa "Princess" Heartilly. The story begins as Seifer, Rinoa, and the other SeeDs arrive at the first stop on their victory tour - Winhill.
1. Chapter 1

**The Lion, the Princess, and the Knight**

 **Chapter 1**

"It's a cat. It got up there, it can get back down." Squall looked up at the tree branch with his arms crossed.

"You gonna leave Buttons all alone in the tree?" the little girl cried.

Squall turned to the girl, intending to attempt yet another explanation on the nature and abilities of cats, when Laguna cut in.

"Of course not! Don't worry, we'll get him!" Laguna approached the trunk of the tree.

" _Dad_ …" Squall sighed and dropped his arms. This wasn't going to end well. The cat was perhaps fifteen feet off the ground. Not far for a cat to jump, but a long ways for an adult man to fall.

Laguna grabbed onto a low branch and hauled himself up.

Squall hurried to the branch and grabbed his father by the ankle. "Why don't you let me do the climbing?"

"I got it. Piece of cake!" Laguna pulled his ankle away from Squall and continued to climb. It took him only a few moves to get to the branch with the kitten. The kitten was crouched in the middle of the branch, a few feet from the trunk. Laguna took an unsteady step out onto the branch, balancing himself by holding onto higher branches. The kitten moved farther out onto the branch as Laguna approached.

"Um, Dad, I think you're scaring it."

"You're right. I must look too big." Laguna let go of the high branches and knelt down on the branch he was standing on. He crawled on his hands and knees toward the kitten. The kitten trotted away from Laguna. After a few steps, the thinning branch bent under the weight of the kitten and the kitten slipped off.

The little girl shrieked.

Laguna lunged for the kitten. He couldn't reach it and he lost his balance, sliding off the top of the branch and finding himself clinging to the underside.

The kitten landed on Squall's head, claws out.

"Ow." Squall removed the kitten from his head and thrust it to the little girl.

"Buttons!" the girl squealed, taking the kitten and running home.

"You're welcome," Squall muttered as the girl disappeared up the road. "You gonna come down now?" he asked Laguna.

"Yeah, uh, just a…." Laguna twisted his body to see the ground, then quickly tightened his grip on the branch. "You're going to have to catch me."

"What? I can't catch you."

"Of course you can! You're a big strong boy! Ready?" Laguna let go of the branch.

"No—" Squall was certain there was an easier way for Laguna to get down, but nonetheless he held out his arms and stepped forward. Laguna landed heavily in Squall's arms, causing him to stumble forward and fall to one knee. The gravel of the road bit into the skin of Squall's knee, right through his pants.

Laguna cheerfully hopped out of Squall's arms, as though Squall had been lowering his father to the ground, rather than falling to his knee under his weight.

"See? I knew you could do it!" Laguna mussed Squall's hair as Squall rose to his feet.

Squall clenched his fists and hissed through his teeth. The patrol had been over before they got involved with the kitten, and now they would be late for dinner.

A few minutes later, Ellone and Raine were waiting by the door when Squall and Laguna arrived home. Seeing his sister and mother immediately made Squall forget his annoyance with his father.

"How was the patrol?" Raine asked.

"It was an adventure!" Laguna declared before Squall could respond.

"Oh my gosh, you're bleeding!" Ellone dabbed at Squall's forehead with a handkerchief.

"It's nothing," Squall replied.

"And your knee! What happened? Come in so I can clean you up." Ellone took Squall's hand and dragged him into the house.

Raine regarded Laguna. "What trouble did you get into today?"

Laguna grinned. "You should be very proud. Your mighty son did battle with a lion!"

"It was a baby cat," Squall called from the washroom. "And I believe we were supposed to be rescuing it, not battling it."

His wounds treated, Squall left the washroom and entered the bar. It was Sunday, so the bar was closed to patrons. Squall took a seat at the usual table, Ellone close behind him. His parents were watching the television intently. Squall looked curiously at the screen. His mom often kept the screen on for her customers, but she rarely paid it any attention herself.

Ellone leaned close to Squall. "Can you believe it? The war is over. The Sorceress is dead."

"Struck down by her own Knight," Laguna read off the screen.

" _If_ you believe the official story," Raine added pointedly.

Laguna turned toward Raine. "You don't believe it?"

Raine shrugged. "It just seems a bit convenient, doesn't it? One day he's the Sorceress's loyal lap dog, the next he kills her to free the world?"

"He didn't do it for the _world_ ," Ellone corrected in a wistful tone. "He did it for _love_."

"For…love?" Squall's jaw tightened. "Love of…Rinoa?"

All wistfulness suddenly gone, Ellone bit her lip and nodded once. "His fiancée."

Squall's features remained steadily neutral as he rose from his seat and headed to his room. Ellone watched him leave. Laguna and Raine remained glued to the television set.

* * *

 **Author Note** : If anyone is reading this, I'd love to know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author Note:** Thank you so much to everyone who is reading this and to everyone who has taken the time to write a review! I am sorry for the long delay in updating. I'd like to say the next chapter won't take as long, but I'm afraid I can't make any promises. But I sincerely appreciate anyone who is willing to stick with the story through erratic updates, I am working on it!_

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

It was a little over five years ago. Raine and Laguna had gone out to dinner at the fancy restaurant in town, leaving Ellone and Squall to fend for themselves. Squall was perfectly happy to stay home, but Ellone had resented being left behind.

There was a knock on the door just as dusk was settling in. It was a courier with a small package. Ellone thanked the courier and carried the package upstairs to inspect it with Squall. It was addressed to "Laguna Loire and Family" and the return address said simply "Heartilly."

"What are you doing?" Squall had asked as Ellone untied the string around the package. "It belongs to Dad."

"It says 'Laguna Loire and _family_.' That means us." As she'd ripped off the brown paper, she'd added under her breath, "If he wanted to open it, he should have been here to receive it."

There were a few small items in the package, along with a note:

 _Dear Laguna,_

 _I hope this note finds you and your family well. I'm sorry we lost contact, but I'm not writing to dwell on the past. I came across your name in an issue of Timber Maniacs a few months ago, and from there I was able to track down your address. Congratulations on being published! I always believed you could do it. But I admit I am not writing this purely to congratulate you. I'm writing to ask a favor. Perhaps it is out of line, after all these years, to call upon you with a request. However, I am not writing for my own sake, but rather for my daughter's. I would do absolutely anything for her, a feeling I am sure you understand._

 _Enclosed is a press kit. My dear Rinoa, at the tender age of twelve, has released her first album! I am so proud of her, and I wish for everyone I care about to be able to hear her sweet voice. I hope you and your family will play this album, and in doing so experience just a fraction of the joy and love that has gone into making it._

 _Warmest Regards,_

 _Julia_

"Who's Julia?" Squall had asked the obvious question.

Ellone had shrugged and tossed the note aside, far more interested in the other goodies in the package. There was the album, of course. The album cover was sky blue with an image of stylized white wings and glittery pink flowers. The album was self-titled, with "Princess Heartilly" written in flowing letters across the top.

Also included in the press kit was a wall poster featuring the same art as the album cover, and a glossy publicity photo showing a broadly grinning young girl. She was dressed fashionably but modestly in sky blue and bubblegum pink that matched her album cover, and she sported a pair of oversized pearly white wings. Rinoa Heartilly.

Five years after the fateful package had arrived, Ellone sighed as she leaned against Squall's door. Perhaps she shouldn't have opened the package five years ago.

* * *

Squall lay in his bed and stared at the ceiling.

He didn't care, not really. He probably wouldn't even remember her, if she wasn't so famous. And if she was just famous, he wouldn't care at all. It was just awkward timing—he'd gotten to know her a little bit when she was just some random girl, then she'd gotten really famous and he could hardly avoid hearing about her all the time. She was on tv, her music was in constant demand at the pub, the kids at school talked about her. To have never set foot in the town of Winhill, Rinoa Heartilly was one of the most popular people in town. Well, that wasn't quite right—nobody else called her Rinoa. They all referred to her by her stage name, Princess.

But Squall knew her as Rinoa, and had never called her anything else.

It started five years ago. His grammar teacher had given the class an assignment: Write a letter to a pen pal, someone who lived in a different city. How in the world was he supposed to find a pen pal? He didn't know anyone outside Winhill—he was just a kid, how could he have? But then he remembered the package Ellone had found the night before. It had come from far away, that was about all he knew about it. Well, that, and the girl in the picture looked nice, and was probably about his own age. If he had to write to someone, it might as well be her.

He'd written a letter as required, carefully following the parameters of the assignment. He'd mentioned the album because, well, what else was there to talk about with a stranger? He'd turned it in for the grade, but he knew his teacher would never know if the letter was actually sent. After the teacher had returned the letter, Squall had tossed it in the wastebasket rather than putting it in the envelope and sending it.

But apparently he should have chosen another wastebasket, because his father found the letter and mailed it without telling Squall.

Squall was mortified.

But then she replied. The words were decorated with hearts and the margins filled with poorly-drawn feathers.

 _Hi, Squall!_

 _I love your name! I've never heard anything like it. It's fun but still serious, you know?_

 _Thanks so much for the letter! I love talking to new people, but I don't get chat with people my own age very often. I spend most of my time with tutors and other boring old people - they are not nearly as cool as you! :o)_

 _I'd never heard of Winhill before. I had to get a map and even then, it took forever to find! What's it like there? I bet it's a super cute town!_

 _Stay awesome!_

 _XOXO Rinoa_

 _p.s. Please write back!_

Against his better judgment and all natural instinct, he'd responded with another letter. She wrote back again. And they continued, back and forth. He looked forward to her letters, checking for deliveries every day. He'd told Rinoa stuff he'd never told anyone else, not even Ellone. He couldn't really explain it—normally he hated talking to people, especially strangers, especially kids his own age—but he enjoyed talking to Rinoa.

In the last letter Rinoa had said she was starting her concert tour and would be really busy. She hadn't told Squall not to write anymore, but he was certain that she wouldn't have time to respond and he wanted to be the one to stop writing first.

Now he wished he had written just one more letter, so he wouldn't have been the one to end it. But he was sure it didn't matter much. She'd probably forgotten about him the first time she'd stepped on stage. If not then, then when she joined SeeD. She certainly wouldn't remember him now.

* * *

Rinoa tucked herself inside her cabin on-board the Ragnarok. She checked and double-checked the lock. She did not want to be interrupted. Not by any of the people currently on the airship.

Confident that she was safe from prying eyes, she pulled out the photographs. The first was a photo of her mom. "I love you," she whispered as she traced the outline of her mother's face. After a few lingering moments, she tucked her mother's photo behind the second photo. The second photo was a family portrait. Not of Rinoa's family, but of another.

Five years ago, her mom had made her write the first letter. She was homeschooled, and replying to the letter from the boy from Winhill had been one of her writing assignments. She was forced to write the first letter, as she was sure he was, but the rest were entirely voluntary. She liked to talk to him, he was so different from everyone else she knew. His letters were inevitably the highlight of her boring days of singing lessons, piano practice, and school work. At some point she'd convinced him to send her a photo of his family. She cherished it, above all other photos except those of her mother, even though she'd never met any of the subjects.

It wasn't that she didn't have any portraits of her own family—she did, but they all looked stiff and uncomfortable. As her mother always said, art was a reflection of life.

But the family in this portrait wasn't stiff at all. They were relaxed, they were having fun, they were happy.

There was the mother, who was laughing, her eyes sparkling with equal parts mirth and love.

There was the father, who held the little girl on his shoulders, exactly how Rinoa's father had never held her, and ruffled the boy's hair with obvious affection.

There was the little girl. Cute and happy, she could have been the older sister Rinoa had always wanted.

And then there was him. The boy. He looked more serious than the rest of his family, but Rinoa knew the truth. He was amused by the antics, but didn't want to admit it. He thought he was older than he was, that there was weakness in levity, that his family existed to embarrass him. He'd never said that, of course, not in so many words. But he'd revealed much in his letters. Almost certainly a lot more than he intended, or was even aware of. She wondered how much of herself she had revealed to him without knowing it.

Rinoa fought the wandering of her mind and refocused in the photo. Gosh, he was cute at twelve. She wondered what he looked like now. Probably tall, and muscular, but with the same blue eyes. Rinoa really hoped she'd recognize him. And that he'd remember her.

 _Maybe he'll be excited to see me. Our eyes will meet and we'll just connect._

 _We can go somewhere and talk alone. I bet he's really level-headed. He seemed really smart before. I bet he'll know just what to do about this Seifer situation. That's what this situation needed. A neutral third-party. Someone on the outside, but trustworthy, to sort all this out._

* * *

 _Winhill_. Why were they going to Winhill? Why were they going anywhere? Why couldn't they just go back to Balamb and forget this ever happened? Just get back to normal, go back to how things were before.

Normal? What was normal? Attending classes and eating lunch with Rinoa. Pretending to study in the library but really passing notes and playing games.

Zell sighed. Even if they went back to Balamb, things wouldn't be like that. He'd graduated–he'd have missions instead of classes. That he could deal with. But Rinoa…

Would she even be there? Would she run off to continue her singing career? She'd gotten what she needed out of being a SeeD, hadn't she? Or worse, would she still be at Garden, but forever attached to that selfish jerk? That two-faced sociopath? The mere sight of the guy made Zell's blood boil, but seeing him with his best friend? To think they were engaged, that they would soon be _married_? And she hadn't even _told_ him. Feeling like he was about to hyperventilate, Zell decided he better think about something else.

 _Winhill_. At least once they landed, Zell wouldn't have to share the same stale, recycled air as the jerk. Of course, they'd have to parade around together, act like they were all the best of friends. _Ugh_. Zell wanted to vomit at the thought.

Winhill—that's where Rinoa's old pen pal was from, wasn't it? She used to talk about him a lot, when she first arrived at Garden. She'd even let Zell read a few of his letters. At first Zell had thought he was her best friend from back home. And, the way she talked about him, maybe even more. He was pretty shocked when he found out she'd never actually met him. If she was really that fond of him— _is that why we're going to Winhill? Was it Rinoa's decision?_ —maybe seeing him would knock some sense into her. Maybe if she remembered her feelings for her pen pal, she'd rethink marrying Seifer.

That would be the first thing Zell would do, as soon as he got a moment of freedom in Winhill—he would find the pen pal and explain things to him. He had a strange surname—something about lions. Lion's head? Lion-hearted? And a strange first name too…Stormy? Stormy the Lion-hearted? Zell was sure he'd recognize the guy's name when he heard it again.

Now that he had a plan, Zell couldn't wait to arrive. Just a little while longer, and things would start looking up.

* * *

They could not arrive soon enough. Quistis was on the brink of a complete breakdown. Her worst student was being hailed as a hero for saving the world. She wasn't even sure the world had been saved.

The three of them—Quistis, Zell, Rinoa—had been there, about to face the Sorceress in a final showdown, when Seifer came out of nowhere and struck the Sorceress. The Sorceress must have cast some sort of spell, because the three of them were thrown back and blinded by a sudden burst of light. The next thing they knew, they were scattered and disoriented. By the time they made their way back to the battlefield where the Sorceress had been, Seifer stood grinning, holding the robes and headdress of the Sorceress aloft like a trophy. Immediately, the cameras had appeared, taking Seifer's photo as newscasters declared the war was over, the Sorceress defeated.

Seifer was technically a SeeD, Garden could hardly reject credit—it desperately needed more funding. Quistis couldn't even give a proper report—she hadn't seen anything—so Seifer's word was the only one they had. And of course then he and Princess Rinoa had to pour fuel on the fire by announcing their engagement out of the blue. Little Miss Princess had never known anything about subtly and Seifer had never known anything about restraint—the two were made for each other. What they were _not_ made for was securing Garden's best interest. That was Quistis's job, even though the spotlight had found them.

Quistis wished that just once in her life she could hold a press conference where the goal was something other than damage control. This so-called victory tour may look like it was about celebration, but really it was about containment.


End file.
